Scrambles
by The Four Minds
Summary: LAST CHAPTER FINALLY UP!Forge creates an invention to send someone back to a memoral event. See what happens when it gose wrong with the Pack members. plz rr
1. Accidents Happen

Hi again! We're back with a new story. This one deals more with the pasts of the Pack members and an ordeal caused by Forge. We asked that you read the individual stories (we think there's only one up right now) so you don't miss anything. They have a lot to do the character's past.  
  
Title: Scrambles Summary: Forge invents a machine to send people back to a memorable event, but something goes very wrong and the Pack members go back into the past. Not necessarily their own past.  
  
Chapter one: Accidents Happen Note: This is after Alex and Morgana break up and right after they return from the reservation.  
  
The three days after the X-men and the Pack returned home, Professor Xavier immediately subjected Pixie to mental tests to figure out the source of her dazes. Both he and Jean would take turns peering into her mind, occasionally finding more information each time. But this was wearing not only Irona out, but also on Jean and the professor. Hank mentioned the idea of hypnotism. At first, Irona didn't like the idea, but with every failure, she started to considerate it.  
  
Nature, Shadow and Saber had all recovered from their injuries sustained while fighting Sabertooth, who was now locked up in a high security level facility. Most of their injuries anyway. Alex had not talked to Morgana since the scene with her mother. The most he would do would be hand out orders. She hated this, and missed the long hours they would spend sitting on the bench along the path. Besides Illya, Shadow, Rogue and a few others she had no one to talk to. No one to tell her most intimate secrets. No Alex.  
  
Winter Moon kept her company now and she soon opened up to talking to the wolf. He would sit and listen, and curl up beside her when she was feeling down. They had gotten quite close because of this. Charles had been right, he had been good therapy. Therapy for her soul.  
  
Hunter and Saber had spent much of the hours they had been home together. A lot of the time was spent trying to name her new, white puma cub. Settling on Trinity, the cub was content to sleep at the foot of Illya's bed while the two laid at the head cuddling and watching TV. Just enjoying each other.  
  
Shadow had taken her panther cub to her room where she could play with him. Rebel had run about the room, getting into things and messing them up. After wearing Shadow and himself out, the cub curled up next to her on the bed. Dodger had stopped by to see how she was fairing, and was pulled into playing tug-of-war with the massive little cat.  
  
"Man, he's really energetic." Dodger said rubbing the tiny, fury body laying next to his stomach.  
  
"You should have seen him earlier. Getting into everything. He needs to behave." Shadow said, the little cub had grasped her hand before falling asleep. She reached her free hand over to stroke Rebel's ear, accidently brushing Dodger's chest. "Sorry." she apologized weakly. "I'm glad you're alright." he smiled. "Did you have fun? I heard you shot a rabbit. In the head no less."  
  
"To be honest, I couldn't shoot the rabbit with the bow." she confessed, then laughed.  
  
"Oh, really, pet. And what did you use to kill that little rabbit?"  
  
"My dagger. I missed with two arrows. I got ticked and threw my dagger."  
  
"But the arrow was stuck in its head."  
  
"I shoved the arrow in when Morgana and Sabe asked me what I was doing." They laughed again.  
  
"How is Morgana doing? I can't believe that happened." Dodger stroked the cub again.  
  
"She's mad as heck. Other than training, she sits in her room and talks to Moon. Or goes for walks with him.'  
  
"Is that all she does?"  
  
"No. She talks to us girls and occasionally the prof. She's just really mad right now."  
  
"That's understandable. Being told you can't love someone."  
  
"Yeah." Shadow really didn't understand. "I need to go see if Forge can make me a collar for this little guy." She got up off the bed. Amazingly, Rebel was still asleep.  
  
"I'll go with you." Dodger offered, then picked up the limp panther. Together they walked to Forge's work shop.  
  
Forge was working on his newest invention when Shadow and Dodger walked in. "Afternoon, all. What can I do you for? I'm a little busy."  
  
"What you working on?" Shadow asked stroking Rebel's chin.  
  
"It's a devise that will send people back to their past."  
  
"What's that good for?" Dodger asked still holding the cub who was starting to get heavy.  
  
"Say someone has a favorite memory, with this," he indicated the machine he was toying with, "they can go back and re-live it. Kind of like watching a movie. Only more interactive."  
  
"What do you mean interactive?" Shadow asked. Dodger let the now restless cub down on the floor. "The person who goes back has to be careful that they don't interact differently with the persons in their past. The way it works, the person is in their body as they were then. Like if you go back to when you were ten, you'd look ten. You'd also have all of your memories that you have now."  
  
"Interesting." They said together. About that time Saber, Hunter and Nature walked in with their new charges. "What are you guys doing here?" Shadow asked.  
  
"Seeing if we can get collars for these little one's. You?" Illya answered.  
  
"Same." And now Hydro and Demoness walked in.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" Hunter asked.  
  
"We were asked by Kurt to bring this down." Demoness held out Nightcrawler's image inducers. "It needs fixed."  
  
"What doesn't?" Forge asked sarcastically. He wanted to get back to his project. The door swooshed open, again.  
  
"Forge, Professor asked me to bring you this." Quinn informed walking through the door. "Wow. Guess the entire Pack is here." About that time, a bright light filled the room. A cloud of smoke soon followed with a loud, ear-splitting pop.  
  
"Is everyone alright?" Forge yelled out. "Guys?! Guys?!" He looked around the workshop. No one but the two cubs and the wolf were there. "The professor is not going to like this."  
  
End chapter one. Two coming. Read on to see whose past we visit first. 


	2. Nun of That

No intro. Not going to tell you who we're starting off with.  
  
Scrambles chapter two: Nun of That!  
  
"Okay," Hydro thought. "This time I'm getting up." He had been laying in an unfamiliar bed for the past ten minutes trying to wake up. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood to his full height. "Ah!" he yelled. "I'm shorted than the pixie girl!" At this moment he also realized that his voice was like a little boys and had a British accent. "What in the world?" he thought, "Where am I?" Hydro noticed the two small beds occupying the room, and the outfit lying on the night table. At that moment, a knock sounded on the door.  
  
"Darian? DARIAN?!"  
  
"I'm coming, Sister Grace." Hydro heard himself reply. Getting dressed, he let his feet carry him to the dining hall. When he stepped through the doors, he noticed he was in a convent. Weird, he muttered and sat in his chair. After a brief prayer, Hydro began eating. In a couple of minuted, it hit him. He was in Darian Wells's body. 'Hmm, I wonder how this happened?' he thought. 'How am I in Dodger's body? Wait a minute. I wonder if I have his powers.' For the next couple of minutes he tried to find a war to become invisible. Finally he figured he had it. 'Yes!' he thought. Picking the fork up that was next to him, he waved it in front of the kid next to him. 'Ha, ha.' he thought. 'Invisible kid and the flying fork!' One of the nuns got up and walked over to him.  
  
Grabbing the fork she said, "Darian, sit down and finish your food." With a child-like attitude, Luke sat down in a huff. 'Well, obviously this body hasn't gone through puberty yet. Darn, how am I going to have any fun?' He finished eating his food, and waited to be dismissed. Finally, one of the nuns stood up and proclaimed that it was a free day, but to be in chapel after dinner. Hydro jumped up and walked back to his room to think.  
  
As soon as he walked through the door a pillow flew at him. Ducking, he grabbed a nearby pillow and hit the kid that had started it. In five minutes, the other boy hollered, "Alright, Darian, I give up!"  
  
He heard himself say, "Good, George. You know when to admit defeat." The two boys looked at each other grinning. Then they both noticed the mess. George frowned.  
  
"Oh no," he said. "Sister Mary'll kill us." There were feathers all over the room, and they had knocked over some of the tables while fighting.  
  
'Hmm, if only I had some powers. Wait, what about mine?' He held his hands out and concentrated.  
  
"Darian, what are you doing?" George asked.  
  
"Nothing." Hydro replied frowning. He couldn't understand why he didn't have his powers. Seeing George clean up, Hydro decided to help. Working, they wasted the rest of their day and finished ten minutes before dinner.  
  
"At least Sister Mary didn't do room checks yet." Hydro said.  
  
"Yeah. She would have thrown a fit." George replied. With one last look around the room, the boys headed to dinner. Afterward, they went to chapel and goofed off the whole time. When they finally reached their beds, they were both exhausted. "So," George said, "what's with you? You haven't acted like yourself today."  
  
"Well," Hydro replied. "I don't feel like my old self." He closed his eyes and drifted off into a confusing sleep.  
  
Waking up bright and early, Luke dressed and snuck outside. He dug through the bushes until he found what he wanted, stuck it in his pocket, and went to wake George up. Getting upstairs, he went into the room, and threw the blanket off of his friend.  
  
"Come on, sleepyhead." he said. "We have lessons today." George opened his eyes and looked over at the clock.  
  
"Why'd you wait so long to get my up?" he asked.  
  
"Because of this." Luke stated and pulled a garden snake from his pocket. "Let's hurry and put it in evil Sister Lucy's drawer. She'll never know who did it." They boys snuck downstairs and opened the classroom door slowly. "You keep watch." Hydro told George. Then he slipped into the room and quickly put the snake in the teacher's desk. Hearing the breakfast bell, the boys took off, racing each other to the dining room. 'It's kinda fun being a kid again.' Hydro thought as he took his seat. At that moment, one of the older kids flung butter his way. It hit him smack in the forehead. "Okay," he muttered. "I take that back. I'd rather be with mature adults." He wiped the butter off of his face and bowed his head as the nuns entered. One of the bigger nuns spoke.  
  
"Darian and George, why did I find holes in your pillows and piles of feathers in your closets?"  
  
"Must have been rats, Sister Mary." Hydro replied, surprised that he had said it when meaning to.  
  
"Darian Wells go to your room after class and fix those pillows!" she commanded.  
  
"Yes, ma'am." he said sarcastically. Looking down at his food, he realized that some of the butter had gotten in his drink. "Bloody 'ell." he muttered, hoping that the nun wouldn't hear. Finishing everything except his drink he went to class. 'This is so weird.' He thought. 'Will I ever be myself again?' Right when he walked into the classroom, there was a loud shriek. Smiling, he remembered the snake. Running to the desk he grabbed the snake. "I have it, Sister Lucy, it's only a garden snake." Opening the window, threw it out. "Thank you, Darian. You may be dismissed to get a head start of you cleaning." Sister Lucy said smiling. Grinning at the class he left and went upstairs. Arriving at his room, he noticed that Sister Mary had left cleaning supplies. Picking them up he put them on the floor and sat on his bed. Looking around the room, his eyes rested on the closet and he remembered the pile of feathers. Walking over, he opened the door and jumped when someone came out.  
  
"Wow," he heard the person say, "you're shorter than me."  
  
'It's Irona.' he thought. 'How'd she get here?'  
  
As if reading his thoughts she replied, "I was sent to tell you that...hmm...hold on." She bent and picked up a feather. "Can I have this, thanks. Anyhow, Forge said to tell you that you are going to get out of this, so...that's the message."  
  
"Great, thanks." Hydro said. Watching her smile, he again thought of how beautiful she was. Without realizing it, he voiced his thoughts, saying, "You're really beautiful."  
  
"Huh?" Irona said, "Sorry, I'm too old for you. You're only nine at the moment..." and with that she was gone.  
  
"Oops." he mumbled. A knock sounded on the door. Opening it, he recognized on of the girls from his class. "Hi, Darian." she said bashfully.  
  
"Uh, hi." he replied. Without warning the girl moved closer and kissed him. His eyes bugged out of his head as he thought, 'Wow, this must be a big memory of Dodger's, but it's too weird for a guy in his early twenties.' The girl stepped away, and ran off blushing. "Okay." he stated. "Never again." With that, he sat on the bed and wiped his mouth on one of his sleeves. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Forge had stopped right outside the professor's door. He stood there a moment, gathering his thoughts, before he stepped in.  
  
"Yes, Forge, how can I help you?" the prof asked from behind his desk.  
  
"There's kind of been an accident in the technology area."  
  
"What kind of accident, Forge?"  
  
"Well,...the Pack...aren't here anymore. They've gone back in time to their pasts."  
  
"How did this happen?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but all of them were in the room, there was a bright flash and they were gone."  
  
"Find a way to get them back. Take Irona*********************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ************************************************************* convents for this chapter. 


	3. Within the Darkness

Hi again. Here is the third chapter of our mixed up story. Hope you enjoy! Read on.  
  
Scrambles chapter three: Within the Darkness  
  
Dodger awoke in a small room that wasn't much more than a bed and a tiny bathroom. In fact, it looked more like a jail cell than a room. The door could only be opened from the outside. His reflection on the shinny steel door caught his eye. It wasn't his, but young Shadow's. What in the world did Forge do to him?! His thoughts screamed. Where was he? Was this a dream? He felt like himself. Looking down at his hands they looked normal, but every reflection in the room showed Shadow. What is this, Quantum Leap? He asked himself. The door opened to reveal a tall thug looking man that seemed about twice his size.  
  
"Come, Shadow, Master wants to speak to you before you start training today." he said in a rumbling voice. Dodger stood in awe and bewilderment of this man. "I mean now!" the thug commanded. Before he could even move, the thug grabbed him by his throat and began dragging him down a long hallway, then into a large control room that was similar to the War Room. He was thrown in front of a chair, and finally was able to breath again, though gasping for air. The thug seemed to enjoy watching this. Dodger could only imagine what Shadow had done to him to make him so hurtful. Before he could dwell on this thought longer, the chair spun around and he found himself face to face with Sinister.  
  
"Ah...Shadow. Glad you could come." Sinister said evilly.  
  
"Like I had a choice." Dodger snapped back surprising himself. Maybe Shadow had rubbed off on him more than he had credited her.  
  
"Quiet you!" the thug commanded as he brought down a whip on Dodger's back. He whined in pain.  
  
"That will be quite enough, Dozer. We don't want a repeat of last week." Sinister said before Dozer could hit Dodger again. "Now, I think Shadow has learned her lesson. I'm sure she will behave today." he added before turning to Dodger. "As for you, if you step as much as a toe out of line you will pay. I will not put up with this defiance." he continued rising the so-called Shadow's chin to force eye contact. "Do you understand? Now off to training with you. Go on, get." Dodger scrambled out the door before he realized he didn't know where to go. However, the thug called Dozer was soon following.  
  
"Your butt is mine now." he said as he walked into a room that was similar to the Danger Room only everything looked more lethal. "Let's start with some push-ups." he ordered. "Oh, how about a hundred to start out with and we'll go from there." Dodger's jaw dropped. Dozer smiled at this. "Now down!" he said as he kicked out Dodger's legs causing him to fall face first to the floor. "And up one." he continued as Dodger pushed up from the floor. Dozer kept counting as Dodger did a "good" push-up in which he had to touch his nose to the ground and nothing else, then come all the way back up until his arms were straight again. This took a good hour to do.  
"One hundred." was called by Dozer as Dodger fell to the floor his arms searing with an intense pain. Sweet ran down his face, he had never done so many push-ups in his life. And he was a fit built man. He must have done around two hundred and fifty but one hundred and fifty of that didn't count. Dodger didn't know how Shadow put up with this.  
  
Interrupting Dodger's thoughts Dozer said, "What's wrong, little Shadow? Are we feeling tired?" Dodger sat up on the floor, but said nothing. This man was truly a slave driver with no heart, Dodger decided. "What? No witty come back today, Shadow?" Again Dodger said nothing. "See. Told Sinister I could break you. All you needed was discipline and a firm hand. He says, however, that your spirit can never truly be broken, only bent, but he's wrong." he babbled on confidently.  
  
"He's right. You will never break my spirit." Dodger interrupted hatefully. "And one day I will escape from under your hand. You self- centered pig!" Dodger was only stopped by a blow to his jaw by Dozer. It sent him flying backward into a wall.  
  
"Insult me again. I dare you." Dozer said as Dodger picked himself of the floor. He was lucky the blow didn't brake his haw.  
  
"There's not an insult low enough or worse enough to describe you." He swore softly. Then he was shoved to the floor as something hot was pressed on his back. It was burning through his clothes and on his back right between his shoulder blades. He screamed with pain and tried to roll away before he realized Dozer was holding him into place and anytime he tried to move the burning would worsen. Finally, he let go, allowing Dodger to move away. The sore was throbbing with pain. Dodger looked up to see Dozer holding something that looked like a cattle brand.  
  
"Forget about my power to heat objects to a nice red hot again my young Shadow? This..." Dozer said, holding the brand just above Dodger's nose so he could see the small skull and wings that made up the brand still burning with red hot heat, "has been permanently burned into your back. Not even your healing factor will let it heal without a scar. May it remind you who you are and when to keep you mouth shut. Enjoy." He stopped to watch the imposter Shadow whimper in pain. "Now get up. It's time for the obstacle course."  
  
"No, she will not run the course!" A young woman in her twenties shouted out as she ran to Dodger's side. "I can't believe you. She's only a child!"  
  
"She's a weapon and that is all."  
  
"She's a human being!" the woman snapped picking Dodger up off the floor, and putting his arm around her shoulder to help him keep his balance. "Come on, Shadow, let's get you cleaned up." she said as she moved him out of the room.  
  
"Rockle! When will you learn that Shadow is a born killer and nothing more. Taught only to hurt, kill, and survive." Dozer called after them. "Don't listen to him," she cooed in Dodger/Shadow's ear. They entered Shadow's room that Dodger had been in when he had awoken. The woman laid him down on the bed and told him to lie still while she went to go get some bandages. Dodger stared at the bond haired woman and wondered if she was they only one that was kind to Shadow when she was young. Also if this was the woman she spoke of about the locks.  
  
She came back in and did her best mend his back. She end up having to cut his shirt off and around the sore from some of it melting onto the skin. "He really did a number on you." she muttered as she bandaged the last of his back. "I'm afraid you will feel it for quite some time. As of now you should try to get some sleep. Most likely you'll have at it again tomorrow. Stay strong my girl. Don't let Dozer break your spirit." she said in a whisper as she left the room. The door slammed shut behind him, Dodger could hear three different locks turned to hold the door in place.  
  
For the rest of the day he was stuck in this holding cell. No wonder Shadow didn't like being cooped up. He rolled over and almost screamed as he hit a hard lump in his bed. After muttering a few curses at the pain in his back, he investigated what was there. From under the mattress he pulled out a small leather bond book. "What is this?" he thought to himself. He opened it and read what is said on the first page.  
  
My young Shadow this book is to  
fill as you please with your thoughts,  
deeds, and hopes. Keep it in a safe place  
out of prying eyes.  
Your friend, Rockle  
  
He slammed it shut. It's Shadow's dairy. For the longest time he just looked at it. Should he read it? What harm could it do? After all he was Shadow at the, right? Why not? He opened the book and began to read. The first entries didn't make much sense, but by the dates she couldn't have been more than five. The book held everything in it from where she was ticklish, her fears, daily life, training exercises, to the begin of escape plans. When he finished he put it back where he had found it. "It appears..." he muttered to himself so that no one could possibly hear, "that there is a lot more to Shadow then she likes to let on. Just some more pieces to the puzzle." He laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, praying that he wasn't stuck like this. Then a thought hit him. If he was Shadow, who was in his place? Those thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Pixie.  
  
"Irona?" he questioned with confusion.  
  
"That's me!" she said cheerfully. "Forge told me to tell you...huh...to stay put and everything will be back the way it should be soon. Yeah, that's it...I think."  
  
"You think?"  
  
"Well, I'm eighty-nine percent sure." "And the other eleven percent?" he questioned.  
  
"You are stuck like this."  
  
"Great...life as Shadow."  
  
"Well, I don't think that will happen. Bye, bye." With that Pixie vanished. Dodger laid back down, said another silent prayer and tried to sleep. Hopefully he would get to see Shadow in the morning rather than be her. They sure had a lot to talk about.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Forge and Irona had come up with a way to communicate with the Pack members. They only problem was Irona couldn't stay back long and they were afraid of her dazy moments. With that risk in mind she went back, telling them to stay put. Forge was still toying with how to bring them back. "If only I could find out how it happened." he thought to himself. "Security tapes!"  
  
End chapter three. Four's a comin'. See who comes next. 


	4. Setting Sails

Here's the fourth chapter. See who's next on the roster. Hope you enjoy!  
  
Scrambles chapter four: Setting Sails  
  
"Where am I?" Shadow thought, trying to adjust to the darkness that filled the room she was in. "It smells like metal, and coal burning, and what's that noise? I gotta get someplace where I cab see," then it hit her. "Wait a minute. I'm on a ship. What am I doing here?" She felt along side the walls for a door handle. She found one, then pulled the door open to reveal... "A bathroom!? Oh, well, I can at least try to adjust myself and at least it has lights." She walked over to the mirror to look at herself. "What!?" she screamed, jumping back from the reflection. "That's not my reflection! That's Saber's! I'm Saber?" she tried to remember what had happened. "The bright light in Forge's workshop! That must have done it. I must have been teleported into Illya's body, and this must be part of her past!" she thought, putting everything together.  
  
About that time she heard someone open and shut a door. Turning off the lights she then ran to a hiding spot. All of a sudden she could see in the dark as clearly as the day. "Of course I can see in the dark. I'm Saber. She has cat eyes." Somehow her body just naturally reacted to what she heard. One man was walking right by her spot. She didn't move until she heard him leave. "Whew, that was too close." She sat and thought longer. "By how I look in the mirror I'd say Saber is about seventeen now. But she's never really spoken about her past. And she certainly never mentioned being on a ship. If this is a ship why would she be down here and not in a cabin? Unless she's a stow-away. That would explain why I hid from that guy." She was pleased with herself for her quick deductions, though conscience that she had been talking softly to herself. "I wonder where this ship is headed to anyway." She decided to go exploring.  
  
She found the staircase that led to other levels. The next floor up was the F deck cabins. No one was around, but she decided to keep her guard up anyway. She found the Aft Staircase and decided to use them. She reached the D deck before she saw anybody, and hearing them coming from the deck above her she went through a door that led to a long hallway. The voices were getting louder so she started running. Around the corner she ran full force into a tall teenage boy. He had a hold of her arms, and she screamed at him to let go but it came out in Russian.  
  
"Whoa, lass. I don't speak that gibberish. Maybe you could repeat yourself in my language," the man said calmly.  
  
"I said let me go!" she screamed this time in American.  
  
"All right! Settle down. I ain't going to harm ya. Or turn ya in." She looked at him in shock. "I kind of figured you were a stow-away. Never seen you before and I'm sure if I had I wouldn't forget you."  
  
"What do you want from me?" Shadow was not in control of what she was saying at this point.  
  
"Absolutely nothing. The name's Sean and you are?" he asked. He had sunburned like skin and bronzeish-blond hair.  
  
"My name's Saber," she replied. 'Oh my goss. It's Hunter!'  
  
"That's a curious name. Mind telling me how..."  
  
"No." she butted in.  
  
"Fine. Well, I'm assuming you're headed to the states like everyone else. Though there's not many Russians on board. Why a boat and not a plane?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." she said. 'The US! This must be when Illya first came to America. Wow, I didn't realize she got here this way. Why didn't she and Sean say they met first like this?" Shadow thought.  
  
They heard someone coming down the hallway. "You might want to get going. Don't worry, I won't tell a soul about you." She started walking away. "Hey! Are you hungry?" She stared suspiciously at him.  
  
"A little. Why?"  
  
"Meet me on the poop deck in a hour. I'll bring you something," he said, then walked away. Shadow/Saber walked the other way in disbelief. She went back to the room she had woken up in. There she found a little sleeping area, so she laid down and began to think. "Hunter was strong even for a teenager. I'd say he's at least nineteen, maybe. He looks very different with short hair. I'm pretty hungry now that I think about it. So in a hour I'll meet Sean on the poop deck. What a weird name for part of a ship." she finished her thought then said, "Nothing to do but wait til then." **************************************************************************** ****  
  
An hour later Shadow/Saber was making her way to the poop deck for the meeting with Sean. She could smell the food before she was even at the top of the ladder.  
  
"I was wondering if you would show up. I brought sugar cured ham, mashed potatoes, some grilled chicken and green peas. And for dessert a big slice of pecan pie." he stated. She walked over to the blanket where he had laid everything out. It all looked so good.  
  
"Thank you. Can I ask why you are doing this?"  
  
"Well, I figure they don't have very good food at the lowest levels of the ship, and I know how it is to be different." He pushed his short hair back revealing two long, pointy ears. "Are if you haven't noticed my skin isn't exactly normal. Besides, I wanted to. Now, eat up."  
  
She sat down and he sat across from her. She decided to start with the chicken. When she was done stuffing her face she spoke. "So where are you from Mr. Sean...?"  
  
"Hanrhan. I'm from Ireland. Lived on the outskirts of Dublin. Just finished up my military service. And you? Have any other name than Saber?"  
  
"Illya. Illya Polav. Russia. Archangel actually. What part of the military were you in?"  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it," he said a said expression on his face. "How about you. Why'd you leave home at such an early age?"  
  
"I'd rather not talk about that."  
  
"Fair enough," they continued in silence for a moment.  
  
"Well, thank you for the wonderful meal. Do you mind if I take some of this with me?" she asked.  
  
"No problem. Take all you want," He stood up with her, "Will I see you tomorrow?"  
  
"I don't know. I try to stay hid most of the time. If not maybe I'll see you in America. How much longer 'til we reach the states?"  
  
"Three more days they say. After so many weeks on this thing I'll be glad to see dry land," he stated.  
  
"Same here. Thank you again," she left with a rolled up napkin of food. 'Sean was such a gentlemen as a teenager. I wonder if Saber does see him again on the ship?' Shadow thought.  
  
Shadow/Saber returned to her little alcove and put the food somewhere safe. Then she found her way back to the bathroom to wash up a bit. She opened the door and flipped on the lights. Walking over to the basinet she ran water and splashed her face in it. When she looked back to the mirror she saw someone behind her. "Pixie!"  
  
"That's me!" the girl cried cheerfully.  
  
"Oh my goss. You scared me. What the heck are you doing here?"  
  
"Ooh a shiny nail," she said picking one off the ground. "Can I have this?" Shadow/Saber nodded yes. "Oh, right. Forge sent me to tell you...to tell you...Ah I remember! To tell you that this will be over eventually. I'm pretty sure that's it. I should write this down someplace."  
  
"Eventually?" Shadow questioned.  
  
"Yes, I'm pretty sure that's right. Well, have fun!" With that she was gone. Shadow went back to her sleeping mat and laid down. If she was right it was around seven or eight at night. She hoped 'eventually' would come soon. Her stomach was full and she was semi warm, but truthfully she was ready to be Shadow again. **************************************************************************** ****  
  
They were slowly getting closer to a solution. The tapes had revealed that the Pack were there, and instant later there was a flash of light, and the Pack was gone. What caused the light was still unknown. Knowing what had caused them to disappear helped in how they could bring them back. There were many possibilities, but they had to be tested first. He decided her could test some of the X-men and bring them back.  
  
"We may have to send someone back and work on a way to get them back," Irona said stating his thoughts.  
  
"It might come to that, Irona. Maybe we can create a beacon or something." With this new thought, they began the plans for a homing beacon.  
  
End chapter four. Five coming, and with it another adventure. Keep tuned. You never know when your favorite will pop up. 


	5. Into the Woods, Again

And onto the next exciting adventure. Who is it? Read on.  
  
Scrambles chapter five: Into the Woods, Again  
  
Illya awoke to a familiar feeling. A soft hide beneath her and another on top. 'What? Am I back on the reservation? How can that be? Wait. That bright light. Could it have caused this? If so, where are the others?' Automatically she got up and exited the tipi. It was definitely the one Morgana's mother and father had stayed in. But why was she in it? Shouldn't she be in the quest tipi they had stayed in during the hunt? Then she saw a reflection of herself in the boiling pot. 'I'm like fourteen or something. I must be in Morgana's past. Guess I've got to play along. Maybe they'll find some way to contact me or something. Wonder where everyone else is.' With that she took off into the woods. Off to her secret place. **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Logan had heard about the accident in the workshop and wasn't too happy with Forge. His daughters were trapped in the past. And with what little they knew about Shadow's past, he pity her or whoever was there. Of course he didn't feel so sure about the pixie-thief working to get them back.  
  
He could do nothing but wait. And think while he was waiting. While he was thinking, he did think about what had caused his daughter so much grief. Morgana and Alex were happy together, and Fawn had to ban him because of his past. Because she didn't want Morgana to end up in the same predicament. She didn't realize that Alex and Morgana balanced each other out. That he had given up life as an infamous cat burglar. For her, and only her. And he gave her up so she could remain in her tribe. Even after she had told him she would choose him. "The kid really does love her," he said aloud. He was in his room, so no one had heard him. "I've got to do something about this." He padded over to the desk in his room. Picking up the phone he remembered there was no phone at the reservation. Throwing a few things into a carisack, he informed the professor that he'd be back in a few days. Without farewells, he mounted his bike and rode off. **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Illya had found that she had ran to a small meadow outside the village. She had been here several times in the past four years. There were so many trees here; Maples, Oaks, Hickories, Cottonwoods, Pines. All kinds of softwoods and hardwoods, deciduous and evergreens. All healthy and growing strong. She was the cause of this.  
  
'Wow!' Saber thought. 'I'm experiencing Morgana growing trees in her forest. This is cool. But I thought I heard Forge say a person could visit a special memory. Wonder what this one is.' She thought this as she was mending a dying tree. She quickly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see an elder of the village staring down at her. He beckoned her to follow, which she did obediently. They walked back on a path which she realized was heading towards the village. **************************************************************************** ****  
Logan had reached the airport, his flight on time for once. Grabbing a quick bite to eat out of the vending machines he made his connection on time. Sitting down in his widow seat, Logan thought of his quest. Then it hit him. "Man, I'm becoming a bloody match maker and a peace keeper." He let his thoughts to mull during the rest of the flight. **************************************************************************** ****  
  
They had reached the village and were walking to what she remembered as the chief's tipi. She heard the elder call out and strangely she understood. 'I know I don't know those words. This is cool.' The chief walked out, he was considerably younger. Spotted Fawn and Grey Wolf joined them. A long conversation broke out between the adults. She understood every word.  
  
When it was over, the chief walked over, and placing his hands on Morgana's shoulders, said, "Young Earth, the Creator has blessed you with a special gift. You can heal the things of the earth."  
  
"Not just heal, I can control and grow them, too. And I can talk to the wolves and the birds..." she was so excited. Whispering Wind turned to Spotted Fawn.  
  
"She really is of the Earth." He smiled. "And great...like her father." 'This is the moment that she that she got was fully accepted.' Saber thought. "Young Earth, use your gift for good. It is a part of you and always will be. For you are Nature herself." 'This must be when she got her code name. This has to be one of her favorite memories. The first time she had been accepted into a large group. Into her tribe. No wonder she's having such a problem with her mother. But she and Alex should be together.' With that Morgana's body took off through the village, singing the chief's praises.  
  
She ran back through and searched for Water. She came to the tipi, but was suddenly distracted by something shiny. She went to it. The source of the shining object was a mirror in Pixie's hand. "Irona, what are you doing here?" she asked softly.  
  
"Forge sent me to tell you...shoot, after this many times I should know it by now..." then she picked up a piece of leather. "I'll just take this. Oh, yeah. This will all be over soon."  
  
"Is that it?"  
  
"Yes...I think so...Possibly...More than likely. I have to go. Bye, bye." and she was gone. Saber went back to what she was doing before hand. **************************************************************************** ****  
  
After finding something that could possibly work, Forge had begun constructing a homing beacon. Nightcrawler's image inducer had come in handy. He used the inducer as a basis for the beacon. By replacing the picture files, he installed a map. A map that held coordinates for the workshop to bring the wearer back. He just needed one more piece to complete it. One piece to make it work.  
  
"Irona, can you get me that little square box over there. It's shiny and has little buttons on it." "It's not over here," she had been taking care of the animals while he had toyed with the invention.  
  
"What?! It was earlier. Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. It's not here. You must have loss it." she stated.  
  
"Great! That's the last piece and the most important! Quick, all the others. We need to find that piece!"  
  
End chapter five. Six coming before seven. Added something new with the thing about Logan. 


	6. Down On the Farm

Here's the sixth chapter. Enjoy!  
  
Scrambles chapter six: Down on the Farm  
  
Quinn awoke, his head pounding. 'Where am I?' Was his first thought. He soon felt the warmth of someone next to him. Before he could turn to see who it was, he heard someone yell, "Sean, Gabby, get up! We've chores to do!" the male voice echoed. Quinn opened his eyes finally to the area around him. "What the...where am I?" he asked as he looked at the stone walls, eroded with age. The body next to him stirred. He turned to see Hunter waking beside him.  
  
"What on Mother Earth? Where am I?" It was Hunter's voice but not him. He turned and looked towards Quinn. "Gabby, why are we here?"  
  
"Gabby? Sean, are you seeing things? It's me. Quinn."  
  
"No, that's Gabby's body."  
  
"And that's Sean's body," he said pointing. "Who are you?"  
  
"It's me. Morgana. What happened? You look like Demoness, only younger."  
  
"There was that bright flash and you look like Hunter, only younger. And this place...where are we?"  
  
"Sean! Gabriel! Come! Chores!"  
  
"You don't think we're in Ireland, do you?" Morgana asked through Sean's mouth.  
  
"Good bet we are, love. It would probably be safer if we just went along. See how this plays out."  
  
"Alright. Perhaps we should change."  
  
"Into what? This is all the clothes I see. Come, let's go." The two left, together, to see what was in store.  
  
They, along with two others, probably the two older brothers, Daniel and Alexander, were put to work. Quinn as Demoness was sent to work in the family garden. Having been from a rich family with servants, Alex wasn't use to the manual labor required for this. He was use to the physical pains of being a thief, though. "I wonder what Morgana's doing," he said softly to himself. Morgana, having been placed in Sean's body, was doing the more physical labor. Chopping wood. Lot's of it. She, unlike Alex, was use to this kind of work. After cutting and stacking the wood she met up with him at the well.  
  
"So what have you been up to?" Quinn asked handing the fake Hunter the old tin cup of water. She gratefully accepted it. After emptying the cup she answered.  
  
"I was chopping wood all morning long. Feels like I cut up an entire forest." They laughed at this. Then his face turned solemn. "What?"  
  
"This...This can't be. You know that." He stood and got another cup of water.  
  
"Alex,...no. I don't believe that. This is our lives. We are in control of it. Not our parents. Alex, I don't care what they think."  
  
"But, Morgana, I do," he shouted, then lowered his voice remembering where they were. "I don't want you getting kicked out of your tribe. You said it was hard for your mother to get back in. I don't want that for you."  
  
"Alex, I respect that. But it is my choice whether I want to lose my tribe to be with you, or lose you to be with my tribe."  
  
"What's your choice?" he asked setting down the cup.  
  
"Alex, I choose you."  
  
"No. I can't let you make that choice," and he walked away. Back to the fake life they had to live.  
  
"I'm not making the choices my mother made," she yelled after him, then followed.  
  
When they returned to the hutch "Gabby" was asked to help prepare the midday meal, and was asked to fetch water from the well. Quinn took the buckets and made the long hike to the well. On the way he remembered Forge saying onetime when Alex was down helping that this new machine could send someone back to a memorable moment in their past. 'I wonder what memory we're in.' he thought to himself. Then, when he reached the well, he remembered the argument he had just had with Morgana. He truly wanted to be with her. But because he cared so much he was willing to let her go to make her family happy. He finished and returned to the hutch.  
  
When he got back he decided to look around for any clues of this memory. He and Sean of Gabby hadn't talked much except about training. "Well, that will change," he told himself. He was a little upset at how little he knew about either of the Hanrhan children. And here he was in their past without a clue. As he automatically began getting out cooking materials he noticed something. His "mother" was relatively "large" around the waist, but not from food. He thought back, it had just been himself, Morgana, the father, the mother and two older boys. 'That's it. This must be the memory of their sister being born. But it would have to be memorable for both, wouldn't it?' he thought continuing with the cooking.  
  
After the midday meal, Seamus called for his oldest sons. "Daniel, Alex."  
  
"What?" Quinn answered then realized.  
  
"Since when do you answer for you brother, Gabriel?"  
  
"Since never, father." 'Woowhoo. That was close.' The two older boys came in. Quinn could hear Seamus telling his brothers to get ready to go to market. "Gabs, you and Sean are to stay here with Mother while we go to market."  
  
"Can't I go? Is it because of the way I look?" Quinn heard himself say, not knowing the words were coming from his mouth.  
  
"Now, Gabs, you know that's not it. I need you here to take care of your mother. Okay? We won't be gone long." With that, he and the boys left. 'Take care of mother?' Quinn thought. 'What's wrong with her?' Then it hit him. 'Oh, no, man. I can't handle this. Anything but this. It's bad enough being a girl.'  
  
While Alex was stuck doing the cooking for the evening meal, Morgana was forced to do outside chores. Some, the cutting and stacking of wood, she minded. Others, taking care of the family stable, she didn't. These she spent the most of her "free" time with. Her "father" and "brothers" had gone taking three of the horses with them. One, a blue roan mare, reminded her of Ravenhold. She tried to put that memory behind her. The last remaining horse in the stall was an old nag. "Hey, Lucky Gal," she greeted the horse, knowing the name from somewhere, "how about some oats?"  
  
About this time Gabby came out to the stable. "Is this the last one left?" she asked reaching them.  
  
"Yes. Father took the other three." Sean answered.  
  
"He wouldn't let me go with him, again. It's not fair," she said starting to tack up the old mare.  
  
"Where are you going, Gabby? And big deal. I never get to go either." Gabby lead the horse out of her stall.  
  
"I'll be back." She mounted and rode off.  
  
"Take it easy on her, okay?" he yelled. Then all of a sudden Morgana realized she had just witnessed a memory from Sean and Gabby's past. 'Sean's never this comfortable with his appearance. I wonder what happened to change that.' She went to mucking the stalls.  
  
When evening came, so did Alex. After dismounting and un-tacking Lucky Gal he put the mare back in her stall. Sean came out to greet him. "Good ride. Where'd you go? Mother was asking for you earlier. I'm starting to worry." Then Morgana came out of the daze. "Wow, this is getting weird."  
  
"Oh, I went to church to answer your previous question. By the way, our 'mother' is pregnant." The Quinn clutched his sides.  
  
"Alex, are you okay?" she ran to him.  
  
"Yeah, my sides have just been hurting. I'll be fine." He stood straight again.  
  
"That's what my mom said and then she had me." Quinn looked at her when she said that. "What? It's true."  
  
"Well, we'd better get in. I have to finish cooking." They were about to enter the house when Quinn asked, "Did you have a horse growing up? I mean, you seem to love them and all."  
  
"One. Grey Wolf gave him to me when I was five. His name was Ravenhold. A blue roan." Her eyes lit up then burned out. "I loved him, but...I can't talk about it," she started to cry but held them back. They didn't say anything else, but continued on into the house.  
  
Quinn had finished cooking, feeling good about himself. Morgana had set the small table for three and was now pouring three cups of ale for them. As Alex was setting the rolls on the table, their mother came in. "It's time," she said going back to the bed. Alex and Morgana just looked at each other.  
  
"What do we do?"  
  
"You go take care of her," Nature commanded. This was the first time Short Circuit didn't have orders to give. "I'll get some hot water."  
  
"Okay." Alex went into the room he had woke up in that morning. There his mother was laying on the bed, with the few pillows propped behind her. 'Man, I can't deal with this.' he thought, sitting down with Sorrie.  
  
Morgana got a fire started in the wood stove, then went and got the water. While she was filling the second bucket, Irona climbed out of the well.  
  
"Irona, where did you come from?" Morgana was shocked at the appearance of the short pixie girl.  
  
"The well. I'm suppose to tell you...uh, something..." She said looking around. She picked up a ratty piece of twine. "Can I keep this?" Morgana shrugged. "Oh, this will be over soon...I think...maybe...Where's Quinn?"  
  
"He's with me."  
  
"Cool. What's going on?" Irona asked sitting on the edge of the well.  
  
"Sorrie's having a baby. I have to go. Quinn's alone with her."  
  
"Good luck. You know you look like Hunter."  
  
"I know." she yelled then realized Pixie was gone in a flash.  
  
Morgana hurried back and put the water on. Then she went and checked on Quinn and Sorrie. Sorrie, with previous experience, was calm and ready. Gabby was visibly shaking. "Here," Morgana pushed Quinn out of the way and replaced him at the end of the bed. "Okay, any time now," she heard herself say. 'I wonder if this is how it went down the first time.' she though to herself.  
  
Several hours later, a new, healthy baby girl came into the Hanrhan family. After cleaning her up, Morgana wrapped her in a small cloth and laid the baby in Sorrie's gentle arms. Quinn, after removing the buckets of water, went to the family's pump house to clean up. While there his stomach and sides, which had been hurting all throughout the labor, were now feeling as if they were on fire. "What is wrong with me?" he asked himself out loud. He got up and went to the out house near the hutch.  
  
Morgana had finished cleaning herself up and had just served Sorrie a hot cup of coffee. She had settled herself in the kitchen when Gabby came in, still shaken. "Hey, how are you feeling? You haven't been looking like yourself." Then she laughed. "Seriously, are you okay?"  
  
Quinn looked up at her, terror in his borrowed eyes. "I'm...I'm bleeding."  
  
"It's probably from the baby."  
  
"No." he stopped her short. "It's not on my hands." He gave her a very indifferent look. Then it hit her.  
  
"Oh, my goss! You mean...Dude, I feel bad for you." At that they heard Sorrie cry out. "We'll talk about this later." And they both went to check on their mom.  
  
Morgana and Alex tried to take care of Sorrie, but they didn't know what was wrong. Sean had never said if his mother was still alive. After several minutes of hard thinking, Sean, holding Shannon, pulled Gabby aside. "Ride to father. Bring him and the boys home."  
  
"I don't feel good enough to ride."  
  
"Do it! Now!" With that command Gabby/Quinn ran to the stable. Throwing a halter on the horse as fast as she could, leaving without tacking up properly she took off. She rode long and hard and finally reached the village. She found her father and brothers packing up to head out. "Gabby, what are you doing here?" Seamus asked, pulling his daughter from the old mare's back.  
  
"Mother's...sick...Had the baby." she managed between breathes.  
  
"Okay. Gabby, ride with your brothers. I'll run on ahead." He mounted the old roan and raced at break-neck speed back to his wife.  
  
The next morning when Gabby and her brothers had returned they found the healthy newborn ant their mother doing well. The boys had explained that they rode slow so Gabby could rest after her flight. They hadn't known about all that had happened before. Morgana had been sleeping by the hearth when Quinn came and sat beside her. They had already had a little talk about "Gabby's" problem. Morgana had told him about her chat with Irona and all he had to say was, "I can't wait."

Forge and Irona had gotten everyone in the mansion to do a sweep. So far, nothing. No one had turned up anything. A second, more thorough sweep was ordered. A check of all rooms. Gambit and Rogue had been assigned to the level where the Pack slept. Rogue was going through Sean's room while Gambit was checking Irona's.  
  
There he looked through all of the clothes drawers and the closet. 'Dis seems familiar.' he thought, remembering his former life. He came to the dresser covered in small boxes. He looked in each, and the last he found filled with odd bobbles. "Now what's all dis?" he asked aloud, and began rummaging through it. "Now what's dis?" he asked picking up a square piece of metal with buttons or something on it. Questioning what it was, he took it to Forge. Rogue saw him walking out, staring at something and followed.  
  
"Found something, mon ami," he said and handed it to him.  
  
"Eureka!" Forge screamed. "Remy, where'd you find this?!"  
  
"In a box on Pixie-girl's dresser." Remy answered, placing his arm around Rogue's waist.  
  
"Pixie." He headed back to the workshop. When he walked in Irona was brushing out Trinity's fur. "Irona." He held up the piece.  
  
"You found it. Where?" she asked walking over to the desk.  
  
"Remy found it in a box. On your dresser." His voice sounded strained.  
  
"Oops."  
  
"Well, maybe this will work now." He said going back to work. End chapter six. Seven coming soon. 


	7. Living the High Life

Here's the seventh chapter of our little screw up. Enjoy!  
  
Scrambles chapter seven: Livin' the High Life  
  
"Jackson. Jackson. JACKSON!" The boy, about thirteen, looked up to his father. Wolfe Hooper was a powerful man and a hard father. Hard only because he wanted his son to be the best he could. Because he wanted his son to take over his law firm when he was old enough. Little did Wolfe or his wife Susan know, their son wanted another career. One that involved more darkness and danger. One that would set him aside with the law. Jackson Hooper wanted to be a thief.  
  
Sean had heard him calling. He had heard him repeat himself. Never did Sean think this man was talking to him. That is, not until he laid his hand on Sean's shoulder. That startled him. He didn't know this man. Nor did he recognize his voice. One name stuck out, his name. Somehow, obviously, he had gotten into Alex's past. But how? Was this a dream? Or hallucination? 'Wait! The light! It caused this.' he thought. Then he went back into the daze, and heard himself say, "Yes, father. I'll do it after I check this out."  
  
"Jackson, for goodness sakes, can't you leave that computer for one minute to throw the trash away?" his father said more than asked. He laid the garbage sack by Alex's feet.  
  
"Isn't that what the maids are for?" Jackson asked sarcastically.  
  
"Don't you get smart with me, young man. You may be the only child, but you will not be spoiled," his father, Wolfe Stevens Hooper, barked back. "One more would other than 'yes, sir' that comes out of your mouth, and you won't have your computer- any computer- for a month. Do you understand me?"  
  
"Yes, sir," he replied, almost honestly. He got away with it.  
  
"Now, take out the garbage," and he did without one peep.  
  
Later that afternoon, Sean guessed he was in his room. There were school books on the neatly organized desk, no clothes laying on the floor. Everything was in top shape. 'Wonder if this is his doing, or the maid's? Sean thought. He felt his body get up from the computer desk and walked to the closest. He watched as the hands opened the sliding door and reached in. He knew he had picked up the book, but it wasn't him. "A Decade of Poe," he read the cover, but that wasn't what it said on the inside. "Locks of the World: A Guide to Lock Picking." He put it back down and picked up another one. "Shakespeare Through the Years." and on the inside of it, "Master Hacking for Master Thieves." Sean laughed, 'He really does have more experience than Shadow. Alex has been doing this since high school."  
  
Alex walked back to the computer. After typing in several letter/number combinations, a screen popped up. "Yes!" Alex exclaimed, "I'm in." He typed some more codes in. Another screen popped up asking for Id and a password. Another set of codes typed in. "The secret files of the CIA. Now...let's see what they have on mutants."  
  
"Jackson, time for lunch. Come on down." he heard his mother say, no not his mother. Someone else. Someone he was closer to. Jenny. Jenny Garson, his maid. She had been around since he was a kid. His parents had hired her when he was six. She had been eighteen at the time, had been his babysitter. One time she ran into trouble and was kicked out of her parents house. Feeling sorry, the Hoopers had taken her in. She still lived with them, though she no longer was the "babysitter." She had always been the one to take care of him when his parents were gone. That happened quite often.  
  
He laid the Shakespeare back on the desk, turned out his light, and left the room. He was greeted by the smells of warm bread and the wine his parents both drank at lunch. He sat down in his seat at the right side of the long table. His mother was sitting at one end, and his father at the head. He was near the middle as always. The maids came around, laying napkins on their employers' laps and setting food trays in front of them.  
  
Sean looked down at the well place table. Beautiful crystal silverware and Chine plates. Crystal goblets full of wine, his full of orange juice. And all the forks and spoons laid out nicely. 'Wait! There's like a dozen spoons and forks here!' Hunter screamed inwardly. 'What goes to what?!' The tray covers were lifted off, and Sean made a face, not realizing he was in charge of the body now.  
  
"Jackson, are you feeling alright?" Susan Hooper asked, looking at her son.  
  
"Yes, mother. I was just surprised." he didn't know what to say.  
  
"It's your favorite. Duck alerange with Prawns and chocolate moose. I had it made especially for you."  
  
"Thank you, mother, but I'm afraid I haven't the stomach for a large meal right now." 'Quinn's in control now.' Sean rejoiced.  
  
"Do you feel okay, son?" Wolfe asked.  
  
"I'm just tired, father. I've been real excited about the baby coming. I guess I haven't had enough sleep. I'm just so excited to finally have a little brother or sister." He hugged his mom and left the room, his food untouched.  
  
Hunter was back in his room, going back to the computer. 'I wonder if it's all excitement and not part going out every night. Well, he may not have started that yet. He's probably fourteen of fifteen years old according to the school books.' "What's this about a baby?" he asked aloud, then answered. "He said he was an only child."  
  
Jackson shut down the CIA screen and brought up the computer's word pad. He pulled one of the school books from the desk corner. "Time to work on the real stuff, Alex old boy."  
Later that day, a Saturday Sean guessed, after his homework was finished, Quinn got back in his closest and pulled out a folder full of loose leaf paper. It was unlabeled. He opened it and turned to a section. 'Must be notes on something.' Sean thought, reading the words with his eyes. 'Looks like an ingenious plan to do...something. Alex must be intelligent to start planning schemes this young. It's not part of his power. Wonder if he has them yet?' With that Sean tested the electricity he knew ran lividly through Alex Quinn's body. A bright, powerful streak ran from one hand to the other. It was amazing, with blues and whites. 'He has good control of it at this age. I think...didn't he say he discovered his powers when he was ten? Four or five years of practicing like Quinn does, no wonder he had good control.'  
  
Quinn stood up from the closest, closing it. He went and laid on the bed, the folder in hand. He began to make more notations, ones dealing with school and something about grades and pay offs, Sean noticed. The he heard a rap at the door, and Susan Hooper's voice. "Jackson, your cousin Emanuel is here." Quinn got up and, unlocking the door, let his cousin, younger by two years, in. Emanuel walked in and shut the door, locking it as Alex requested. "Hey, Manny," he greeted, sitting back on the bed.  
  
"What you reading?" Emanuel asked taking the computer chair.  
  
"Just some notes for school," and he laid the folder aside. "So what are the Bannisters doing in California so soon after Christmas?" His hands were crossed and raised behind his head, and laying back against his pillow, ankles crossed.  
  
"Mother wanted to be here when Aunt Susan has the baby."  
  
'There it is about the baby again!' Sean thought screaming. "Mother's not having the child for a few more days," Alex insisted.  
  
"I know," Then Manny's face turned sad.  
  
"Still haven't got the hang of it yet?" Alex asked leaning forward, feet now on the floor.  
  
"No."  
  
"You'll get the hang of it. Give it time." 'Give what time?! I'd better make a note to ask Alex about Manny.' At that time the young boys heard Susan call them for dinner. They both stood and walked out the door.  
  
After the evening meal was over, Jackson helped his father set up a cot for Manny in his room. There had been much talk about the baby and what needed to be done. Jackson couldn't stand having to wait for this. Thinking about tonight and what he would need to do to succeed was the only thing keeping him from going crazy. He had changed into what appeared to be sleeping clothes and laid down in bed. When Emanuel came and laid down on his cot, Jackson, using his powers, turned out the lights.  
  
About midnight, Sean felt his body get up and by the time he realized what was happening, he had on his black shoes and was headed towards the window. He witnessed as he climbed down the rope to the ground and run around to the garage. Inside, he walked the black Ninja outside and down the drive to the street. There he mounted and started the bike using his powers. He rode off.  
  
After the boys had gone to sleep, Susan and Alice stayed up to talk. Susan confided in Alice that she was worried about Jackson, and the way he always stayed in his room. She also confided that she was worried about the baby. She hadn't felt well for the past several days. She was worried the baby was getting sick.  
  
"Maybe you should see a doctor," Alice suggested.  
  
"I don't want to alarm Wolfe. Maybe it's just because I'm so close." After their talk, the two women went to bed.  
  
Sean found himself at what appeared to be a middle school. He ran around to the back of the building. Near a half open window, he used a small pry-bar to pry open the rest of the window. When it was about eight inches wide, Alex squeezed his body through the small opening. 'How can he fit through that? I never knew he was so thin.' Alex pulled the rest of his slender body through, and landed softly on the floor. He walked over and booted up the computer. The log on screen came up and he typed in the requested information. He was in. Five minutes later he climbed back out and fully shut the window.  
  
"You should learn to be more quiet," Sean heard himself say. "I have what you want. Do you have what I asked for?"  
  
"Yes," the shadow's voice answered. Alex turned around and faced his classmate. "I see you wore a mask. Convenient. But I still know who you are."  
  
"Doesn't matter. Do you have it?"  
  
"It's all in there," the voice answered and handed over a small, black suitcase. Alex counted the money. It was all there. "Here's proof. It wasn't hard. Only you and I will ever know."  
  
"Good job. See you in class," and the shadow disappeared. Alex, himself, proud of the evening's turnout, headed home. As he was mounting, he heard a rustle in a near by bush. He went to investigate. Irona, in a bright pink outfit, jumped out.  
  
"What the...Irona, what are you wearing?" Sean asked through Alex's voice.  
  
"Okay, which are you?" she questioned.  
  
"Uh, it's me. Sean." he answered confused.  
  
"I'm suppose to tell you...oh, crap, what was that...I thought I wrote it down." She was checking her pockets. "Anyway, this will be over in the morning. Now, what was I suppose to tell you? Bye." and she was gone.  
  
"Strange little thing, that girl," and he mounted the bike and was gone.  
  
An hour or more after she had went to bed, Susan Hooper woke up with a terrible pain in her stomach. Her cry out woke everyone in the house. The doctor had been called in. At the time, no one noticed Jackson missing. When everything had settled, Emanuel went looking for him, noticing he was no where near his mother. He found him climbing back in the window.  
  
"Where have you been, man? Your mother's in trouble," Manny screamed.  
  
"I was out. What's wrong with her?" he asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Dude, I'm...I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry. You're sorry about what? Manny, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Your mom lost the baby, Jackson. He died." Jackson had to sit down at this. He couldn't believe it. Even though he had heard the words, it couldn't be true. She couldn't have lost the baby. "I'm sorry, man," said Manny, but it never reached Jackson's ears. He was already out the door, heading towards his mother. He entered the room and ran straight to her. She embraced him sadly. "Where have you been, Jackson? We were worried about you."  
  
"It doesn't matter. I should have been here." He stayed with her awhile longer until she fell asleep. He joined his father outside. "Father, what happened?"  
  
"The doctor said that stress got to her and caused her to have a reaction. That caused her to loose the baby. Your brother."  
  
"Stress? What stress?" Jackson asked confused and scared. His dad went on softly.  
  
"She's been worried about the way you're always inside. Always in your room on that computer. She was afraid you wouldn't turn out into what you can become."  
  
"I'm the cause. I'm the reason." He began walking away.  
  
"It's not like that, Jackson," his father screamed after him, but to no avil. Alex went to his room, shutting the door so no one could enter. Manny had tried to get in, but Alex sent him away. He sat there, alone, crying into his hands. His mom had been worrying about him. That stress had caused her to lose the baby. Well, that's not going to happen again. He promised, if only to himself, that he would get out into the real world, and still pursue his dream. One had died, he wasn't about to let the other. "Irona, go ask for some volunteers. Two or three. Don't tell tem what we want to do with them."  
  
"Alright," So Irona was off on her quest. Minutes later she came back with Gambit, Rogue and Nightcrawler following. "I got three like you said," she announced petting the wolf and cubs.  
  
"Thanks. Gentlemen, my lady. Here's what we need to do. And remember, you volunteered for this and time is important."  
  
End chapter seven. Eight coming. 


	8. Washed Up

And here's the eighth chapter. Hope you enjoy!  
  
Scrambles chapter eight: Washed Up  
  
Gabby awoke with a stiff neck and sore muscles. Her knees hurt and for some reason she felt trapped. There was a weird sound filling her ears, and whatever she was on or in was very bumpy. Feeling the warm heat pressed up against her arm, she opened her eyes and found a red headed woman dozing on her right arm. Her brow raised at this. She looked more thoroughly at her environment. She was on a bus. 'Explains the bumpiness, and possibly the sore muscles. But where on God's green earth am I?' she thought, trying not to disturb the lady beside her.  
  
He arm took a spasm and felt very numb. The woman laying there jumped and began blushing when she realized she had doze asleep on her companion's arm. "I'm so sorry, sweety. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep. I'm Abigail Morris. I'm heading out to see my new grandson. Want to see a picture?"  
  
"Sure," she heard herself say, her voice sounding higher pitched and scratchy. She ignored it and paid attention to the woman so willingly telling, or in this case showing, her life's story. She listened on.  
  
"So, that's why I'm coming out here," the lady, Abigail said. "So, young man, what's your business coming out here? You seem awful young to be traveling aline. Where are your parents?" The tables had turned. This lady was now wanting to know about her. Before she could answer, she felt her mouth already moving.  
  
"Well, I'm coming out her to meet my 'real' mother. I ran away from my foster home, and came out here after I received word that my mom wanted to see me." The lady looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm already eleven, and I've taken care of myself most of the time any way, so..." She didn't know the words were coming out of her mouth, but they were. She couldn't even tell this lady that she wasn't a guy.  
  
"This is your stop, young man. Be careful." she heard the bus driver announce and looked around to see the passenger get off. Before she knew it, she was standing in the aisle being handed what she guessed were her things, though she didn't recall having them, and was being pushed off the bus. "Hope you find your mother!" she heard Abigail yell after her.  
  
Now she found herself standing on a corner bus stop, duffle bag on her shoulder and a sickening feeling in her stomach. She didn't know where she was, where she was going, or why everyone thought she was a boy. Without knowing where to go, her feet took her in an unknown direction.  
  
Several minutes later, she found herself walking into a small diner and sitting down to a table near the front window. She pulled out a piece of paper she didn't even know she had. Opening it, she began to read it silently to herself.  
  
Dear Luke,  
I'm sorry for leaving you. For running away.  
For not being there for you. I just couldn't handle it.  
Not with the life I was living...  
  
'Did I write this and forget to give it to Luke?' she thought then was interrupted in her reading by a short, stocky man in rough clothes who stood near her table. "Luke. Follow me," he barked and walked out. Willingly her body followed and watched as the man entered a car that looked to at once be a taxi for a big city. She joined him in the front seat, tucking the paper back into her back pocket. 'Why am I getting into a strange car with a strange man, going God knows where, and I don't have any kind of weapon to protect myself. And where's the others?' she thought as they drove off.  
  
Ten minutes later, they stopped on an overgrown driveway. She looked around at the world before her filled with trees and shrubbery.  
  
"Here's your stop, lad. Should be here in a minute. Said she'd wanted to meet you out here for some reason. Privacy I guess. Well,...get along," and the man in the old cab drove away, leaving her standing alone in the woods on the old drive. Seeing this might be awhile she sat down on a nearby tree stump and waited.  
  
Not five minutes later, an old blue truck pulled down the drive opposite directions she had come. The truck stopped not three feet away from her. The engine died, the driver's door opened, the driver stepped out. She was in her late twenties, red hair of a medium length with a little wave. Not a beautiful face, but one that would not be forgotten. She wore jeans, old and faded, a jean shirt that was obviously a man's due to its size and a white blouse under that. Her sunglasses were pushed on top of her head and she was standing, leaning against the truck, a small smile on her lips. She just stared at him.  
  
"My how you've grown," she said and stepped closer. "I can't believe it's been eleven years."  
  
"Here I am." Gabby heard herself say.  
  
"I don't know what to say," the lady admitted. "I never should have given you away." Tears started falling. Gabby went and hugged her, but it wasn't her arms embracing the woman.  
  
"Why?" the voice asked, its own tears falling.  
  
"The life I was living then...if they had known that the chance of...of..." The tears were becoming too much.  
  
"Chance of what?" the voice asked.  
  
"Of you being a mutant. I am. The man that conceived you was. If my husband then had found out you or I were mutant, neither of us would be here now. I'm sorry, son, I had to. To save your life." She embraced him tighter. A few moments later, she leaned back and looked at him. "What name have you been going by?"  
  
"Luke. Luke Mathersons. That's the name of my latest foster family. It changes every time. It's changed at least five times now."  
  
"They never told you your last name?" He nodded. "Luke, or Lucas, is your first name. Lawson is your last name. Your permanent last name." She hugged him again, and again leaned back. "I'm sorry. I must leave now. I have to get out of the country. I'm glad I had this opportunity to see you again. I love you, my son. Always remember that. Here." She handed him another envelope. "Open this after I leave," and she kissed his cheek and left for the truck.  
  
"Will I ever see you again?" he asked solemnly.  
  
"I'm afraid not, son. I can never come back. And it's best you don't follow." She climbed back into the truck and drove off towards town. Again Gabby found herself alone in the woods.  
  
Several hours later, when it was completely dark, Gabby found herself walking back to town. She eventually reached the diner. There, with the money she had, she ordered a small meal. While waiting for it to be prepared, she fumbled the envelope the woman had given her. The trip back to town had been filled with many mysteries.  
  
This is what she understood so far. She was not herself, she was someone else. That was obvious. Apparently, she was in Luke's body. 'How did this happen?' she questioned her memory. "That flash." she whispered. "It must have done something to us." The sandwich and bowl of soup were placed before her. She went to eating and thinking. She thought about her day's venture. She had awoken on a bus, walked to a diner, gotten into a car with a stranger, driven to an abandoned driveway, talked to someone claiming to be Luke's mother, and now was sitting in the same diner with a letter addressed to Luke. 'Wouldn't hurt.' she thought and opened the seal. She pulled the letter out and read it.  
  
Dear Luke  
If you have received this we will never see each other again.  
You are in line to receive a very large inheritance that can  
only be collected when you are married. I wish you the best in  
life.  
Love, Raya  
  
Back to silence, and back to the mysteries. She obviously didn't know much about her current boyfriend. She got up and headed towards the restrooms. Thankfully it was a unisex one. She stood looking in the mirror. The reflection showed Luke's face instead of hers. He had seemed somewhat distracted since meeting the pixie chick in the woods. She tried using water to wash away her thoughts. It didn't work, and when she looked in the mirror again, the child-like twenty-year old stared back.  
  
"Irona? How did you get here? What's going on? Did it have something to do with that light?" "Too many questions. Hold on," Pixie picked up an unopened bar of soap. "This will all be over soon. There it is."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I finally wrote it down."  
  
"Wrote what down?"  
  
"Something I'm suppose to tell you." Gabby/Luke gave an 'and' look. "This will all be over soon."  
  
"You said that already."  
  
"I did? Alright. Bye, bye." She was gone, and she hadn't answered any questions.  
  
"You wanna what?!" They heard Gambit scream.  
  
"I need to send you back to your past then try to bring you back using this homing becon."  
  
"But what if we get stuck in our past?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Well, I guess you'll have to remain there and we'll get you when we get the others."  
  
"But why three of us, sug?" Rogue asked, also wondering why she had volunteered.  
  
"Because the Pack is made up of several different body types. This," he held up the wrist band, "might work for one and not another."  
  
"That's my image inducer." Kurt pointed out.  
  
"Yes, and when this is over, I'll make you new one. So,...who's first?"  
  
End chapter eight. Nine coming. Poor Gambit. 


	9. Getting Home

And now the ninth chapter.  
  
Scrambles chapter nine: Getting Home  
  
Reluctantly, having to have been the first to volunteer before they had known, Remy went first. Forge strapped the wrist band to him. Remy had kissed Rogue's hand and grabbed a knife before signaling he was ready. Forge flipped the switch on the instrument, and a bright light surround Remy. In an instant he was gone.  
  
Forge flipped the switch again. It took several minutes, but finally another bright light filled the spot where Remy had been lit up. Seconds later, Remy was standing there, card in one hand, knife in the other, both glowing. He realized where he was. "Sorry."  
  
"It worked," Kurt praised.  
  
"Yes, but we still need to test it again. Thank you, Remy. That couldn't have been fun being the guinea pig."  
  
"Fun is not what I'd call it, mon ami."  
  
"Kurt, you want to go next?"  
  
Logan's flight had arrived on time. 'Must be a one time deal.' he thought. Quickly, he rented a bike from the airport garage. After it was brought forward, he mounted and rode away. A few hours later he arrived at the edge. Leaving the bike there, hidden, he continued on foot.  
  
Kurt had been the next to try. He had gone back with no problem. But they were having difficulties bringing him back.  
  
"I don't get it. It worked with Remy." the Cajun raged.  
  
"Even if we can get Kurt back this time and it works properly, how are you going to get them homing beacons?"  
  
"I've asked myself that, Rogue." his face was solemn. "I haven't figured it out. I don't know if you can leave anything there."  
  
"You can take stuff."  
  
"What?!" They all asked. They had forgotten the pixie girl in the corner.  
  
"Take stuff," and she held up trinkets she had taken from each memory.  
  
"You took all of theses?" she nodded. "How?" Forge questioned.  
  
"I picked it up before I left."  
  
"But you were a hologram. You weren't physically there."  
  
"Didn't seem to matter. I saw my reflection, too."  
  
"Maybe,...I can make enough of these, and Pixie, I mean Irona can take them back to each."  
  
"That may work."  
  
Logan had come to the edge of the village and was greeted by a young man, obviously a warrior. After a few words in Cherokee, the boy lead Logan to Spotted Fawn's tipi. He waited outside. She came out. "Logan, what are you doing here?"  
  
"We need to talk, Fawny."  
  
"More power. That's what we need. More energy. Great." Forge laughed.  
  
"What's so funny?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Lately, when I needed more power, Alex was here to assist. I use his powers in return for electric chips and boards."  
  
"Now that's ironic." Rogue said, then asked, "Is there anyone else who could help?"  
  
"I don't know. Someone who can use outside powers."  
  
"What about Remy?" Gambit asked.  
  
"Could work. Short zaps of your powers, nothing close to charging it up completely. Let's try." Forge said, "Remy, place your hand here, and when I say, charge the machine." Remy did so and nodded when ready. "Okay,...now." A bright light, a loud scream. Kurt was back.  
  
"Finally. I thought you'd forgotten me."  
  
"It worked. Hurry. We have to make seven more of these." "What about, Logan?" Fawn asked.  
  
"In private."  
  
"Fine." She lead him away from the village. "Better?" He just grunted. "Now,...what is this about? What caused you to come all this way?"  
  
"It's about Morgana," he gave and then grunted.  
  
"What about Earth? Is she in trouble?"  
  
"She's fine. Well, no. She's not fine. She's hurt, very badly."  
  
"You must take me to her," Fawn demanded.  
  
"She has no wound or illness."  
  
"You said she was hurt."  
  
"Her hearts broken. Shattered."  
  
"Logan," she gave a sigh heavy enough to create canyons. "Not this. She can not be with that thief. He's no good for her. His past is too dangerous."  
  
"I was good for you? You who still do not know my past, or even my last name? Fawn, listen. All you know of him is his past as a thief. He's quit that life. He quit it for her."  
  
"I don't want her messing up her life."  
  
"Fawn..."  
  
"Logan, you don't know what we've went through. I know what's best for my daughter."  
  
"You're right, Fawn. I wasn't there for you or her. I would have been if I'd known. But we can't let what happened between us determine their future. We have no right." He was about to get angry.  
  
"Logan, she is my daughter. I have to watch out for her. And a thief, retired or not, is no good for her."  
  
"Fawn, she's my daughter, too." He was getting angry now. "You don't know the lad. He's a good kid. Responsible. Almost if not more than Scott." She didn't know what he was talking about. "What I'm trying to say, Fawn, is that he's good for her. He truly...loves her."  
  
"How do you know this? What makes you so sure?" she asked crossing her arms on her chest. "I can see it in the way he looks at her, the way his head turns when she walks in."  
  
"She is a beautiful girl. Any man would."  
  
"Not like this. He doesn't get side-tracked, but all she has to do is wink and he's lost his train of thought."  
  
"You don't even know how long they've known each other."  
  
"Almost four years. And they're close in age. Not like we were." She gave him a strange look. "I haven't aged a day. You are no longer eighteen, darlin'."  
  
"Age shouldn't matter."  
  
"Neither should pasts." She was surprised my this.   
  
Only two more beacons needed to be constructed. Thankfully nothing had happened like before. He had given Pixie some of the beacons and she had gone back and given them to the Pack members. All that was left was one for Morgana and Quinn. They were almost complete.  
  
Pixie had just returned. "Sean's got his, and can't wait to get home."  
  
"Okay. Just a bit...more. Done. Here you go, Irona. Safe travel." and she was gone. And back.  
  
"Trust me, they are more than ready to come back."  
  
"Let's pray this works," Forge flipped the switch.  
  
End chapter nine. Ten coming. 


	10. Back From the Past

And here's the final chapter of this story. Enjoy!  
  
Scrambles chapter ten: Back From the Past  
  
Logan had left then, leaving the number for the institute with Fawn. He returned the bike, paid for any extra miles, and went to wait on his flight. The whole trip home he wondered if he had done the right thing. If confronting Spotted Fawn in person had been the right choice. He hadn't really known what he was doing when talking to her, but he had known the way the two had looked at each other. How torn they had been when she had left for the hunt. And the look in both pairs of green eyes when Fawn had forbidden them. The look of pain, a pain that couldn't be described, in his eyes when he had promised to stay away from her emotionally.  
  
All of a sudden Logan's head hurt, deep in his right temple. 'Guess I've been thinking too much.' he thought and rubbed his eyes. He sat back against the seat, hoping to get some sleep.   
  
It was close to morning when Forge, assisted by Kurt, Rogue, Gambit and Irona, finally flipped the switch, trying to bring the Pack back. As before with both Kurt and Rogue, Gambit had to use his powers to fuel the invention. It took a few minutes and there was a bright flash of light, brighter than the one that had cast the Pack into the past. Another loud pop and cloud of smoke appeared. When it had disappeared, the Pack, all eight, were back, none the worse to look at. There was a large cheer that all took part in.  
  
"What happened, Forge?"  
  
"This invention malfunctioned, Alex. It needs to be destroyed. If anyone wants to relive their pasts, just think back to it."  
  
"How are you planning on destroying it?" Saber asked clinging to Sean's arm. This brought back questions Shadow wanted to ask.  
  
"Follow me." Forge insisted. So they all did, and joined him outside. "Jean, would you toss this into the air, please?"  
  
"My honor, Forge." By now the rest had come out to the porch, including the professor. So Jean telekenetically took the invention and heaved it into the sky way above the trees.  
  
"Alex, if you would do the honors?"  
  
With a smile on his face, he said, "Sure," and lifted his hand into the sky. A bright string of electricity shot from his fingertips and collided in a blast with the invention, causing it to explode. "Now the wrist bands," and all of them were thrown and destroyed in the same way. When all of the commotion was gone the Pack retired to the living room. There James brought refreshments for all. They were sitting on the chairs and couches in a circle. "Okay, so who went where?" Shadow blurted out. "What poor soul had my past?" She looked around the sitting area until she seen none raise their hand. That's when she looked to Dodger sitting beside her on the love seat. He response was going to be to laugh at whoever, but the fact that Dodger had been the one to experience her past, in any part, startled her. "Poor you," was all she could manage.  
  
"And who were you, pet?" Dodger asked of her.  
  
"Siberia's cold!" she screamed. "No, I was on a ship sailing to America." She glanced at Sean and Illya on the opposite couch. "I didn't know you two met on the ship before you got here."  
  
"He found me hiding and gave me some food. Nothing much." Saber answered.  
  
"Uh, huh. Sure." Shadow breathed. "Where were you, Illya?"  
  
"Back at the reservation. Sean, where were you?" Saber questioned.  
  
"The Hooper Mansion. Man, you were young when you were a thief." Alex bowed at the compliment. "Where were you?"  
  
"Ireland."  
  
"You were in Sean's body and he in yours?" Dodger asked.  
  
"Not exactly. The other Hanrhan, and I do not want to talk about it." Morgana laughed. "Ladies, don't ever say I don't know what you're going through." Morgana was dying and when it hit the other ladies, they joined in the howling.  
  
"I'm guessing by the way Morgana's cracking she was with you."  
  
"Yeah. I was Sean. Congrats on the baby sister. I've never delivered a human child before." Oh, yeah, she heard him sigh and laughed.  
  
"Who else was who?" Shadow asked. "This is interesting."  
  
"Remember a garden snake, and a kiss, Darian." Hydro laughed. "And evil Sister Lucy." Dodger just hung his head at the memory.  
  
"You were in a convent?" Gabby asked.  
  
"I was raised in a Catholic boarding school. I didn't exactly get along with the nuns. I was kind of a...trouble maker then." Shadow eyed him, and whispered, "What happened?" "So who was Hydro?"  
  
"I was." Gabby announced. "Is that everyone?" She asked. "Let's see." said Pixie. "Hydro was Dodger. Dodger was Shadow. Shadow was Saber. Saber was Nature. Nature was Hunter. Hunter was Quinn. Quinn was Demoness. And Demoness was Hydro. Full circle."  
  
"And you came back to visit each of us." Alex said to Irona. "I don't know about anybody else, but I'm tired."  
  
"Yeah, Alex, I'll walk with you. I've got something to ask you."  
  
"Not about your sister."  
  
"No. Not about my sister." So the two men walked off. The others dispersed as well. Sean and Alex ended up put at the stables.  
  
"So what did you want to ask me?" Quinn questioned.  
  
"Two questions. Who's Manny and what's he not got the hang of?"  
  
"That's two questions." Alex chuckled. Sean gave him a look. Quinn went on. "He's my cousin, and he has difficulties controlling his powers. Next question."  
  
"I remember you saying once that you were an only child. It hasn't always been that way, has it?" Sean tried to be gentle.  
  
"No. It hasn't." Alex went almost pale.  
  
"I don't want to bring up bad memories, I've got my own," that caused him to stop. "I just wanted you to know I'm sorry. For what happened. It wasn't your fault."  
  
"Yes, Sean, it was." The color hadn't returned. "If my mother hadn't been so stressed about me she never would have gotten sick." They stood there a moment in the silence. "Did you know I was to name him if it turned out to be a boy?" Sean shook his head. "I was going to call him 'James Simon'."  
  
"I'm really sorry, Alex."  
  
"No. I'm sorry, Sean. When Morgana and I were stuck in Ireland, it dawned on me that I know little about you and your family. I'd like to change that."  
  
'Wu, no one on the field.' he thought. "Sounds good to me."  
  
After showering Gabby had asked to meet with Luke. He arrived in the gardens on time and greeted her with a smile and hug.  
  
"Luke, I...I didn't know you never knew your mother until you were eleven."

"That's what you went back to?"  
  
"Yeah. What did you do after woods? When she left the second time?"  
  
"Stayed there, grew up, went to high school, went to college. Finally ended up in Ireland. Been with you ever since." He looked at her face, her eyes. "What's wrong, Gabs?"  
  
"Since we were at the reservation, trying to find Shadow and Nature, I've seen you looking at the pixie."  
  
"Oh, you have?"  
  
"Luke, are you falling for her? Please tell me if you are."  
  
"I really don't know, Gabby. Honest."  
  
"Well, when you do, tell me." and she left.  
  
Later that evening, after everyone had settled into resting, Dodger felt restless. He decided to visit the piano in the study.  
  
Shadow was restless. Still stunned that Dodger was the one who had experienced her past. Her thoughts were interrupted by piano music. She knew the tune. She headed down the stairs to the study with the piano. The door was pushed, but not closed. She snuck in like her namesake.  
  
Dodger was seated at the Grand Butterfly piano, grey sweat pants that had a Scotland Yard shield on the left thigh, and a white A-shirt on. She padded over softly and slide in next to him, her bare arm touching his. He said nothing, then she began to play.  
  
"I didn't know you could play." he said, not missing a note.  
  
"I didn't know you were in a Catholic school."  
  
"Not memories I want to remember."  
  
"Join the club." she laughed.  
  
"Where did you learn to play? And 'Music of the Night'?"  
  
"You'd be amazed at what Sinister had me learn. Sinister wanted me to play piano, so I played piano. I got to choose one, and only one, that I could learn for my own benefit. I liked this one." She smiled, and they ended the song. He stretched, and she saw him tense when his arms were fully raised. "What's wrong?"  
  
"A pain between my shoulders. Shadow," he lowered his arms, turned to face her and took one of her hands in his. "What I went through, in your past, if there were days worse than that, I'm amazed at how you survived."  
  
"What exactly did you experience?" Shadow asked and sounded a little scared.  
  
"I woke up in a cell. Then this Dozer guy came and got me. He threw me in front of Sinister." Dodger looked to her eyes, and went on. "Then he made me do a bunch of push ups."  
  
"Warm up."  
  
"Yeah," he smiled. "Then I...we...I guess, insulted him, and he grabbed a hold. The burning was intolerable." She looked down remembering, feeling it again. She felt to the brand on her back. "I've never noticed it before."  
  
"I keep it hidden well," she smiled weakly.  
  
"Can I see it?" he asked gently. She turned around and he fingered the back of her shirt down enough to clearly see the skull and wings. Remembering the pain, he softly brushed over the scared area, fingers lingering. She was feeling funny. Something about the way he was touching her, even on the scar, felt good. That feeling scared her, but she didn't let on or pull away. She reached back and grabbed his hand, leaving it and hers laying on her shoulder. Seeing at least one of her hands was occupied, he took his opportunity. Thanks to reading her diary, he knew right where she was ticklish. He went for the attack.  
  
"Hey, hey! Stop! That tickles! Stop! Please, Darian, have mercy! Stop!"and he did after the tears had started and she was laying pressed up against his chest. "How did you learn where I was ticklish?"  
  
"Still have that little leather bond book? I accidently laid on it after Rockle patched me up." When he mentioned that name, she went silent. "I'm sorry. Did I say something..." she sat up and faced him.  
  
"Rockle was the only one that cared about me when I was with Sinister. She was the last straw."  
  
"What do you mean, Shadow?" he asked pushing a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear.  
  
"When Sinister had her killed, that was it. It pushed me over the edge. I escaped that day. Didn't want to get close to anyone again."  
  
"Did you?" She just looked at him. "Shadow," he lifted her chin, their eyes locking, "you can talk to me. You know that, right? Anytime, anything. I'm here for you."  
  
"Thank you." Was all she could muster through her emotions. He pulled her close to him, wrapping her in a comfortable embrace. "Thank you, Darian."  
He stood, pushed himself away from the bench, then stooped to pick her up. "It's late, pet. We've both been through a lot today." He carried her up the stairs and stopped at her door. Inside they saw Luke talking to Irona. 'Well,' Dodger thought, 'Can't talk there.' "To your place, then." She said breaking his thoughts.  
  
"Yeah, I guess." So they headed that way. "Here you go." He set her down next to the bed. He went to the closet and pulled out a long sleeve flannel shirt. "It's kind of big on me, so it should fit fine."  
  
"Thanks," she took the shirt and walked into the bath room. When she came back out, in the shirt sleeves rolled up, she saw him laying on the bed, reading a book.  
  
"Interesting read?" she asked. Rebel had some how gotten in and was laying on a pile of clothes. "Hey, baby," she stroked the cubs chin.  
  
"So," he closed the book, bookmark in place. "Feel better?"  
  
"Shower and change of clothes always feels good." she said sitting down on the other edge of the bed. "You didn't answer my question." He gave a 'what?' look and laid the book down on the night stand. "Interesting read?"  
  
"Not as interesting as the one I started yesterday."  
  
"Oh, yeah. What was it about?" she asked snuggling in close to him.  
  
"It's about this girl, very young mind you. She had a very difficult life. Some how she can deal with it well."  
  
"What happens to her?" Shadow asked as he pulled the cover over them. She grabbed his arm before he could put it behind him. That stunned him, but he didn't complied. "I don't know. I didn't get t finish it."  
  
"Maybe you will someday." They fell asleep, safe in each others arms.  
  
The End?  
  
See ya next time!


End file.
